The paper focuses on the development of the dynamics of the main fertility indicators in Bulgaria in the period 1990-2016: number of live-born children, number of women in reproductive age, indicators for abortion, maternal and infant mortality, the dynamics of first, second and higher order births, age specific fertility rates and the period measures of fertility (crude birth rates and total fertility rates). The cumulative period and cohort fertility of women at age 40 was also analyzed. Results from adjustment of the total fertility rate using the method of J. Bongaarts and G. Finey are also discussed. The dynamics of extramarital births and the changes in the reproductive behaviors of women from different social groups (ethnic and educational) is also described in the paper. Based on the analysis we draw the conclusion that a new fertility transition has taken place in Bulgaria after 1990. The one-child family model establishes as a dominant model of reproduction among today’s young generations. An intensive process of postponement of first and second child changes the age pattern of fertility. Among the women from Roma ethnic group and those with low education the model of early parenthood and higher fertility still prevails compared to women with Bulgarian ethnic background and higher education. The process of postponement of the transition to first birth is most pronounced and the levels of childlessness are higher among women with secondary and college/ university degree.

This article studies ongoing transition to postponement of births in Bulgaria and in comparative terms with other European countries. The rates used are conventional fertility rate and adjusted fertility rate. Changes in attitudes regarding the ideal number of children in the family are studied. The main factors influencing the decision of child’s / next child’s birth are outlined. The results obtained show that Bulgaria is going through a second stage of transition to postponement of births. Along with the postponement process, there is a process of restoring postponed births. However, some of the postponed births have failed and, therefore, the declared reproductive plans have failed, too. Economic determinants were highlighted as being of relevance to the dynamics of the birth rate in Bulgaria. The results obtained may be used to specify the real changes in the birth rate in Bulgaria and to support the development of adequate family policies in the country.

This paper aims at presenting national representative survey data on people’s attitudes toward family values with a special focus on the data from the 2018 survey “Attitudes toward fertility, family policies and vulnerable communities”. The grounds of family policy with a special emphasis on positive parenting support policy are outlined in the second part of the paper. Directions to effective family policy in Bulgaria are discussed, part of them are family and family life rehabilitation against its alternatives: free-of-family-life and free-of-children-life.

The article contains suggestions for changes in family allowances for children and the material support of insured and uninsured parents / adopters in pregnancy, childbirth and child care, incl. of children with permanent disabilities. The proposals are aimed at solving identified problems and are supported by data from a national representative sociological survey. A financial assessment of the necessary budgetary resources for the implementation of the measures in this area is also presented.

The interdisciplinary report “Measures for overcoming the demographic crisis in the Republic of Bulgaria” commissioned by the Bulgarian Government and carried out by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) examines in detail and depth the ongoing demographic crisis in Bulgaria, and comes forward with hundreds of possible mitigation measures in the following areas: fertility and family policies; mortality, ageing and quality of life; demographic development and labour resources; vulnerable ethnic and religious groups and communities; and migration and national identity. Those measures, however, are supplied in an unstructured and unprioritized form, with no particular set of targets and implementation timeframe specified, making them hardly suitable for a direct use by relevant decision makers. The present notes argue that a designated team of social technologists and imitation modelling experts could possibly use the BAS report’s data in order to assess the performance potential of selected packages of measures (demographic policies) that could then become the subject of public debate and political decision.

The survey on “Childbirth attitudes, family policies and vulnerable communities”, a part of a national representative study, conducted during 2018, is presented. Respondents’ (men and women of fertile age) oppinion on the most important consequences of being a parent are analysed. The assessment of their satisfaction with the relationship with the present partner, as well as the indicated as basic reasons for satisfaction are explored. The balance between work and family/persola life is also studied. Practical conclusions and ideas for measures to overcome the demographic crisis in Bulgaria are formulated.

The paper aims to explore the social differences in the transition to first and second birth of women in reproductive age in Bulgaria. For this purpose the method of event history analysis is applied. We test the influence of different socio-demographic characteristics of women such as age, education, ethnicity, family status etc. The results from the analysis of the transition to first and second birth reveal that the effect of education is negative – highly educated women have lower transition rates to parenthood compared to lowly educated. Women with Bulgarian ethnic origin have also lower transition rates compared to women from ethnic minorities (esp. Roma women). There is a process of postponement of the transition to parenthood which is most pronounced among highly educated women as well as among women with Bulgarian ethnic origin.

This paper aims to construct history of reproductive body through changing demographic and social challenges in the context of a specific biopolitical goverance. It describes reproductive body in three different perspectives: as a part of demographic processes and statistics, as a biopolitical project and as a destiny through maternity campaigns and inconvenient, public trues. Each discourse has its own use of the term, its own language and purposes. What is common is the main role of women according to the public canons of social hygiene and health as a main actors in the birth rate, survival and health of children. Good mothers do the canon, bad-not.

The problem of the reproductive and sexual education is defined and its essence is analyzed. The EU countries experience – as historical perspective and actual state – in development of reproductive and sexual education programs in school is presented. The need for integration of reproductive and sexual education in Bulgarian educational system is discussed. Ideas for optimization of reproductive and sexual education as a measure to overcome the demographic crisis in Bulgaria are formulated.

The article presents the results of an analysis of fertility trends in Russia based on the most powerful statistical and demographic tool known to the international community as period and cohort age- and parity-specific fertility tables, constructed for calendar years in retrospective of four decades (1979-2017), and for generations of women born from 1955 to 1990. The results are intended to strengthen an objective, comprehensive approach to interpreting historical and recent fertility trends in in Russia, as well as to a balanced assessment of the foreseeable prospects for changes in period and cohort total fertility. The author critically assesses the demographic results of the pronatalist policy in Russia over the past decade and calls into question the overly optimistic prospects for further increase in level of fertility, widespread in the Russian political elite.